Many farmers are installing nest boxes to encourage the birds, which hunt the crop-damaging rodents.

In
Israel, where there is a drive to reduce the use of toxic chemical
pesticides, this has been turned into a government-funded national
programme.

Scientists and conservation charities from Jordan and Palestine have joined the scheme.

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According
to the charity BirdLife International, hundreds of birds of prey -
including many endangered species - have been killed in Israel through
eating rodents containing poisonous "rodenticides" sprayed on to crop
fields.